It seems the Raiders are very interested in upgrading the safety position in free agency. First, there were rumors the Raiders would have been looking to pounce on Justin Simmons had he not gotten the franchise tag in Denver. Then they were reportedly going hard after Jimmie Ward before he re-signed with the 49ers, and they are rumored to be poking around former Browns safety Damarious Randall as well.
Currently, the two starting safeties for the Raiders are Erik Harris and 2019 first-round pick Johnathan Abram. We know they love Abram but haven’t seen much from him since he was injured in the first game of last season. Harris is a former longtime special teams maven who proved he can step into a starting role and hold his own.
It’s clear the Raiders aren’t content with this arrangement. And if they would like to upgrade it, there could be an option out there should they be ok with parting with a mid/late-round pick to get him — Vikings safety Anthony Harris.
The #Vikings surprisingly applied the franchise tag to safety Anthony Harris but acknowledged to teams that Harris could be had for a mid-to-late round draft pick, source said. A potential tag and trade candidate.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 17, 2020
Currently, the safety franchise tag number is $11.4 million. Though you’d have to figure any trade acquisition would include a new long term contract. That deal would be something similar to what they would have offered to sign a safety on the open market. So, really the only difference here is they would have to give up a draft pick as well.
Currently, the Raiders have three draft picks in the third round and one in the fifth they could offer.
Harris may be worth it. He started 14 games last season and had 6 interceptions and 11 pass breakups. He was coming off a season in which he had 3 interceptions and 6 pass breakups in 9 starts. And the 28-year-old would move seamlessly from Zimmer’s scheme in Minnesota to Guenther’s in Las Vegas. Both like to use split-safeties.
Obviously getting their guy without giving up any draft picks is ideal. But if their ideal acquisitions are no longer options, trading for Harris would be a solid backup plan.